Self-acting fan for hammocks or cots.



No. 722,034. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903. G. D. MUELWEE.

SELF ACTING FAN FOR HAMMOGKS 0R COTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8; 1902.

F0 MODEL.

ATTORNEYS.

m: NORRIS vsfzns co, PHOTOUTHO WASNIHGTON. n, c.

Nirhn STATES arnnr FFICE.

GEORGE D. MCELWVEE, OF GLOSTER, MISSISSIPPI.

SELF-ACTING FAN FOR HAMMOCKS OR COTS.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,034, dated March3, 1903.

Application filed May 8, 1902. Serial No. 106395. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it ntrty concern: 4

Beit known that I, GEORGE D. MOELWEE, a citizen of the United States,residingin Gloster, in the countyof Amite and State of Mississippi, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self Acting Fans forHammocks or Cots, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in self-acting fans for swingingcots or hammocks; and the object that I have in view is to provide asimple and efficient fan mechanism which will be actuated by theswinging motion of the hammock.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means which normallyhold the fan out of the way of the person when entering the cot andwhich also assist in the actuation of the fan, to provide for thevertical adjustment of the fan, and to enable the entire fan mechanismto be easily applied to or removed from the cot or hammock and also tobe adjusted lengthwise of the cot to any desired position with relationthereto.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination,construction, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of a hammock or swinging cot embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view with certain parts insection and illustrating the means for vertically adjusting the stem ofthe fan, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation showingone means for adjustably fastening a part of the fan-supporting frame toa side rail of the cot.

The cot or hammock A may be of any preferred construction, and it isadapted to be suspended from a ceiling, (indicated at B,) although saidcot may be suspended from a suitable framework. The cot shown in Fig. 1consists of a frame formed by the side rails a and the end rails a, andto this frame is attached a bottom A, herein shown in the form of awoven-wire fabric; but it will be understood that the type of the cotmay be varied within wide limits-as, for example, the cot may be made inthe form of a hammock with suitable side rails. This cot or :ham mockmay be suspended by the hanger wires or cables I), the lower ends ofwhich are attached to the eyebolts b, fastened to the corners of thecot-frame, the upper ends of said hanger wires or cables being fastenedto eye or hook bolts b which are secured to the ceiling B. If desired,the end rails Ct at the head of the cot or hammock may be raised abovethe plane of the bottom A, and at the foot of the cot or hammock is afoot-pressure bar or rail 0, the same being fastened in an elevatedhorizontal position to two of the hanger wires or cables I) by anysuitable means. Said pressure-bar is disposed in a convenient positionfor the application of pressure by the feet of the occupant, and thedesired swaying movement may be given to the hammock or cot simply bypressing against this foot-bar.

The novelty in the present invention relates to the means for adjustablysupporting a fan and for imparting the desired rocking or swayingmovement thereto by the swinging movement of the hammock or cot. The fanis indicated at D, and it may be made of any suitable material,dimensions, and form; but the fan is necessarily provided with a shankor bar d, the same extending in an upward direction and adapted to besupported by a suitable frame. The frame is shown as consisting of theinwardly curved or inclined side members E E, which may be made of wire,metal, or any other suitable material and of any desired fancifulpattern, the particular form of the frame being immaterial. The membersE E converge upwardly, as shown by Fig. '1, and they are provided withthe parallel arms 6 at their upper portions, said arms being disposed ina central position over the bottom A of the cot or hammock. Theseparallel arms are provided with vertical slots f, which are disposed incoincident relation and are adapted to receive the end portions of apivotal belt or arbor F, the same being threaded, as shown more clearlyby Fig. 2, and provided with the clamping-nuts f f The threaded endportions of this pivotal arbor F are fitted in the slots f so as to beadjustable in a vertical direction therein, and the nuts ff of saidarbor are adapted to bear against the inner and outer edges of theslotted arms 6 at the upper ends of the frame members E E, whereby thepivotal arbor is clamped firmly in the upper part of the frame.

It is evident that the arbor will be held against rocking by the firmengagement of its binding-nuts with the arms of the frame; but thesenuts may be loosened and the arbor may be raised or lowered in theslotted arms, after which the nuts should be tightened again in 'orderto hold said arbor in place, as will be is free to swingon thehorizontal axis afforded by said pivotal arbor. If desired, any suitablemeans may be employed to limit the sidewise displacement of the fan-stemon the pivotal arbor F.

G designates a weight which is attached to the outer end of an arm g,said arm being fastened to the stem (1 of the fan at a point below thepivotal arbor F. The inertia of this weight normally throws the fan-stemto an inclined position and maintains the fan D in a position beyond orout of line with the supporting-frame E E, thus disposing the fan out ofthe way of the person when entering the hammock.

The rockable fan is connected operatively with a part of the swayinghammock by means which serve to automatically swing the fan when thehammock is in motion, and in Fig. 1 the means for attaining this endconsists of a transverse cable h and an operating-cable h. Thetransverse cable it has its end portions fastened to a pair of thesuspending wires or cables I) at a suitable point above the hammock, andthis transverse cable affords a convenient means for the attachment ofthe operating-cable h, the other end of said cable 71. being fastened tothe upper extremity d of the fan-stem d. (See Fig. 1.) A permanentallowance of slack is provided in the operating-cable h when thefan-stem lies in one position; but this cable and the weight G cooperateto impart the swinging movement to the fan when the hammock is inmotion.

A person reclining in the hammock presses with the feet against thefoot-board O, and thereby gives motion to the hammock, and the weight Gthrows the fan-stem to an inclined position, so as to take up the slackin the operating-cable h. The motion of the hammock pulls on this cablewhen it moves in one direction, and the fan-stem is thus swung on thepivot F, whereby the desired swaying movement is given to the fan.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings I have represented means whereby theframe may be adjustably fastened to the side rails a of the cot orhammock. A pair of supportingblocks I are applied laterally against theoutside faces of the rails a, forming a part of the cot or hammockframe, and these blocks are fastened to the lower ends of the members EE, forming the fan-supporting frame, said members having their lowerends threaded, as at 2', and receiving the nuts 1', which serve to clampthe members and the blocks firmly together. These blocks are attached tothe frame-rails a by means of the yoke-shaped straps J, the latterembracing the frame-rails a and having threaded ends which are passedthrough the blocks I, so as to receive the nuts j. (See Fig. 3.) It isevident that the nuts may be slackened on the ends of the yokes, so asto release the blocks I, thus permitting the blocks and the yokes to bemoved along the rails a to any desired point of adjustment. Of coursethe members E E of the frame and the fan mechanism will partakeof thisadjustment of the blocks I, and the fan mechanism may thus be shifted toany desired position over the cot or hammock.

The detailed construction of the side members of the frame and theblocks I maybe modified Within the province of the skilled constructor;but it is perfectly plain that the blocks I may be made as integralparts of the frame members if it is desired to cast said frame membersin one piece with the blocks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The combination with a suitably-suspended hammockor cot, of a supportingframe having upwardly-converging side members,supporting-blocks fitted to the hammock or cot and attached to themembers of said frame, clamps connecting the blocks to the hammock orcot and permitting the parts to be adjusted lengthwise of said cot, anda fan mechanism mounted in said supportingframe.

2. The combination with a suspended hammock or cot, of asupporting-frame attached thereto, a fan-stem pivoted in said frame, aflexible connection between said fan-stem and a part of said hammock tomove said stem in one direction, and a drop-weight carried by the stemto impel it in an opposite direction.

3. The combination of a suitable frame having side members provided withslotted arms, a pivotal arbor fitted in said slotted arms and providedwith means for clamping said arbor adjustably to said arms, a fancarrying stem supported by the arbor, and

means for actuating said stem.

4. The combination with a suspended hammock or cot, of asupporting-frame attached thereto, a fan-carrying stem pivoted to saidsupporting-frame and provided with a dropweight, and an operating-cableattached to said stem and to a part of the ham mock-suspending means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my GEO. D. MCELVVEE.

Witnesses:

F. R. HOLLAND, J. A. NAUL.

